Heat controlling and regulating device



Ap 7, 1942. A. CAHN HEAT CONTROLLING AND REGULATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 19, 1940 I llllllllllllll 1 April 1942- A. cm-m 2,279,107

I HEAT CONTROLLING AND REGULATING DEVICE Filed Oct. 19, 1940 7 Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ....=.lllllllllIHIIIIIIIIIIIHI!llllllllllllllljlllllIIIIII J ,7]. 35 .96 [p] 105 g .92 I f 1 \L l INVENTOR i 100 705 JrfizurQJUzQ Patented Apr. 7, 1942 near CONTROLLIN G Ag!) REGULATING DEVIC Arthur Calm, New York, N. Y.,.a'ssignor to John J. Cahn, New York, N. Y.

App ication October 19, 1940, SerialNo. 361,985

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a controlling or regulating device adapted for various uses wherein closing of one or more electric circuits for predetermined periods of time is desirable, and particularly adapted for use in connection with heating plants. It is especially adapted for use in cases where the operation of an oil burner, electrically operated stoker, hot water supply means or other electrically-controlled mechanism isv operated according to prevailing temperature either indoors or outdoors.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple and efllcient device which will be reliable and accurate in operation under all working conditions, whereby a maximum of heating efficiency will be obtained for minimum fuel consumption.

Another object of the invention is to provide means by which several electrical circuits, such as one controlling the operation of a heating plant and another for controlling hot water heating may be effectively operated by means of a single rotating element.

Another object of the invention is to provide a'device of this character of great flexibility and capable of either complete thermostatic control or manual control, or'partly thermo-responsive and partly manual control. y

In the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of the invention is shown, Fig. l is a is a view of one side of one of the contact plates;

Fig. 7 is a view of the opposite side of the contact plate; Fig. 8 is an end view of the same contact plate; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the contact plates used in the part of the device for controlling hot water heating; Fig. 10

is a front view with parts in section, of the means for the pivotally moving contact finger;

and Fig. 11 is the wiring diagram for the device.

With reference to Fig. l, I indicates an electrio motor of the synchronous type, the construction of which is conventional and need not be described in detail. It is sufllcient to say that the same is secured at one side of the frame of the device and it drives suitable gearing indicated generally at 2. A shaft 3 is mounted to rotate between upstanding plates 4 and 5 forming'sides ofthe supporting frame of the machine. plates 4 and 5 have their lower ends formed with feet 6 (Fig. 2) secured upon a fiat base member I and the plates are held in spaced relationship at their upper ends by means of the transverselyextending brace rod 8. The operation of the synchronous motor I is such that it rotates the shaft 3 one revolution in each twenty-four hours.

Secured upon the shaft 3 by means of a set screw 9 (Fig. 5) is a ratchet wheel III formed with a hub II through which the set screw 9 extends to secure the ratchet wheel to the shaft 3.

Since ratchet wheel I0 is securedto shaft 3 it is therefore rotatable with the shaft and makes a complete revolution in each period of twentyfour hours. Mounted free on the shaft 3 is a drum I2 made of insulating material such as Bakelite, hard rubber, or any other suitable insulation. The drum is of hollow conformation and has the central web I3 and inte rally formed of the ratchet wheel In so that as the ratchet scribed aids in driving the drum from the ratchet v wheel I0, and it also permits manual rotative movement of the drum on the shaft 3 for adjustment purposes whenever desired. The drum I2 is rotated clockwisely by the motor, as viewed in i Fig, 2 and adjustment of the drum by hand may be had at any time by rotating the drum in the same direction, the pawl and ratchet permitting such movement, but opposing movement in the opposite direction.

The periphery of the drum I2 is calibrated into twenty-four divisions (Fig. 4) as indicated by the numerals I to I2 repeated, each of these divisions representing the distance that the drum will be rotated in the period of one hour. The shaded calibrations indicated at 22 represent the Said I night hours. while the unshaded calibrations, indicated at 23, represent the hours during the day. Extending inwardly from one of the edges of the rim of the drum is a plurality of equally spaced slots 2, said slots being so spaced from one another that the space between them represents the distance that the drum will rotatively travel during a period of one-half hour. Each of these slots 2|, or as many of them as may be required, is intended to receive and hold a contact late such as indicated at 25, and shown in detail in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive.

Each contact plate consists of a cylindrical, resilient portion 26 from which extends the integral, springy jaws 2'1 tending to normally spring or spread apart to a limited extent. One of said jaws is provided with an integrally formed, laterally bent plate portion 28 of tapered formation, which when the contact plate is inserted in one of the slots 24, overlies a portion of the outer surface or periphery of the rim H of the drum l2 and conforms smoothly to the shape thereof, so that a wiping contact finger resilience, may be readily manually removed when desired or shifted about from one slot to another as required to suit individual operating conditions. 7

The face portion 28 of each of the contact plates is tapered or gradually reduced in width as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 6, said face portion having a wider end 28a disposed at the open or entrance end of the slot 2 l in which the contact plate is inserted, and its narrower end 30 disposed adjacent to and extending slightiy beyond the inner or closed end of the slot. The wider portion 290. of the face 2! is of such width that it extends from the slot in which the contact plate is located to the next slot, 50 that when a number of the contact plates are placed in adjacent slots 2|, a continuous contact surface will be provided on the periphery of the drum adjacent to the right hand edge thereof. or in other words, adjacent to the open ends of the slots 2|. The narrower end 3! of the contact face 28 is of such width that it represents the distance that the drum will rotate in a period of approximately ten minutes, although this period may be varied for any other division of time, dependent upon the width of the contact surface formed on the contact member. Accordingly, when the drum is rotated and the contact finger rides over any desired width of the contact surface 2., a circuit to a heatin device, such as an oil burner, electrically-operated stoker or the like will remain closed and the heating device will be operated for the period that the finger is in wiping contact with the portion of the face 2| movable beneath it.

The contact finger 29 is secured, adjacent to its lower end, by the screws II, to a yoke 22 of insulating material, said yoke being pivotally mounted on the pivot pin I2, supported in the upstanding flanges l4 and 25 of abracket 36 secured on the top of the base I. A torsional spring 31 surrounds the pin 33 and has one end engaging against the bottom of the bracket ii and the other end engaging against the yoke 32 and tending to swing the yoke and finger 2! secured to it toward the left as viewed in Fig. l, and tending also to hold the pin 28 extending between and connecting the legs of the yoke 32 into contact with a collar 35 secured by pin ill on a longitudinally movable rod ll, adapted to slide lengthwise in brackets 42 and II rising from the bracket 35. The rod ll is surrounded by a coil spring H which has one end bearin against the bracket 42 and the other and bearin against a cup-shaped head I! fixed on one end of the rod ll At 46 is a thermostatic bellows of conventional form supported in an adjustable bracket 11. One end oi said bellows is held in contact with the head 15 by pressure of the spring N. Connected to the bellows Iii is a flexible tube Iii having its opposite end attached to the cylinder at. Said cylinder 49, the tube #8 and bellows W contain a thermo-responsive fluid or gas which tends to expand or cause retraction of the bellows It according to temperature operative upon the cylinder which is generally exposed externally of the building to be heated, or at any point of location, the temperature of which is to control the operation of the heating plant.

The bracket I! carrying the therrco-beiiows i5 is adjustable longitudinally in the bracket 2. said bracket ll having a foot portion til guided between the flanges Iii and adjustable in the braclret 38 by means of a shaft 52 having the threaded end portion 51 operative through a threaded opening in bracket M.

The shaft 52 is rotatably mounted in the brackets 42 and 42 and is restrained from longitudinal shifting movement therein in one direction by means of a collar SI secured on the shaft and in the opposite direction by means of the bevel gear 55 attached at the end of said shaft. The bevel gear 5! meshes with another bevel gear 55 secured on a transverse shaft 51 rotatable in upstanding lugs I8 and 59 rising from the base of the bracket 38. The transverse shaft 51 carries a knob by which the shaft 51 is rotated when desired to manually cause the contact finger 29 to be shifted to either the left or right to secure a greater or lesser heat range. A calibrated dial plate "a aids in finding suitable position of adjustment for the knob I.

It will be obvious that when the knob I is turned to the right, as viewed in Fig. i, shaft 52 will be so rotated that the bracket 41 will be shifted to the right, thus bodily moving the bellows 46 in the same direction. As the bellows is thus shifted over toward the right, spring causes the rod Ii to follow it. The rod 4|, on such longitudinal shifting movement, brings the collar 3! into contact with the cross pin II which swings the yoke 32, carrying the linger 28. to the right. A stop pin ll, extending through the rod ll limits the movement of said rod to the right. In normal operation, when the temperature effective upon the cylinder II, is relatively high. the bellows 46 is expanded and the pressure of the bellows, imposed upon the head I! forces rod ll toward the left, so that the collar 39 is moved with the rod. The torsional spring 31 swings the yoke 22 toward the left, normally maintaining the transverse pin ll against the collar l9. Since it is only necessary that the upper end of the, contact finger swing slightly beyond the narrower end 30 of each of the contact members 25 in order to open the circuit controlled by co-operation of the finger with the contacts 25, further swinging movement of the finger toward the left is unnecessary and is accordingly prevented by the stop 62 adjustable in the bracket 43. Should the bellows 86 be expanded to an extent greater than is required to move the contact finger 29 to the limit .ofits required swing, the rod II bellows without affecting the yoke 32 sinc the collar 39 will simply be shifted to the' left, leaving the yoke 32 resting against the stop 62 and held thereagainst by the pressure of the torsional spring 31. cause the bracket 41 to be shifted to the left so that its action to swing the finger 29 to the left will be effective sooner or at a lower temperature, so that a lesser heating period will be obtained.

Extending inwardly from the opposite edge of the rim of the drum is a plurality of spaced slots I5, said slots being positioned similarly to those indicated at 24 but located at the opposite edge of the rim of the drum. That is to say, each slot is located at one of the half-hour marks so that the distance between each two slots is that traversed by the drum during a half hour period. Each of the slots 15, or as many of the slots as desired, is adapted to receive a contact plate I6 shown in detail in Fig. 9. These contact plates are similar in construction tothose indicated at except that the face portion 11 thereof is of uniform width and when one of the contact members is inserted in one of the slots I I5, its face portion 11 extends to the next slot and abuts against the end of the similar contact plate located therein. Accordingly. when a number of adjacent contact plates I6 are inserted in the slots, a continuous contact surface will be provided along that edge of the drum where the contact members I6 are located. This will be seen in Fig. 4in the area between 5:30 in the night hours and 10:00 o'clock in the night hours also, the continuous contact surface thus being shown as extending through all of the daylight period and through a portion of the early morning and evening until 10:00 P. M. The purpose of this arrangement will be presently explained.

It will be noted in Fig. 4 that the width of the contact surface TI on each of the contact plates I6 is less than the depth of each of the slots I5 so that the contact plates I6 may be positioned in the slots either toward the inner ends of the slots as shown at the upper and lower portions of Fig. 4, or else may be position-ed toward the outer or open ends of the slots as shown in the slots beginning at 5:30 a. m. and ending at 10:00 p. m. The latter position of the contact plates is the operative or circuitclosing position, for

- when a contact plate is in said position and the drum is rotated, the contact plate is located to bridge a pair of stationary resilient fingers I8 and I9 secured in spaced relationship by screws to a block of insulating material 8I fastened to an. arm 82 (Fig. 3) formed on and projecting fore not'bridge the fingers or close the circuit,

may continue its movement under the pressureof the expanded Moving the knob 80 to the left will.

to be later described, for operating a hot water heating means or other device.

The insulating block 8| also carries a fixed bent finger 88 which constitutes a time-telling hand, the same indicating the time given by the calibrated portion of the drum, and also constituting a means by which the device may be set the edge of the same wherein the contact members 25 are positioned, the end of said finger bearing against the wider portions 29a of the contact faces 28 when'the drum is rotated.

To fully comprehend the operation of the device as employed for the purpose of controlling a heating plant and water heating means, the electrical circuit disclosed in Fig. 11, must be understood. Therein, the two wires indicated at 90 and 9| constitute the wires carrying conventional lighting circuit current. A wire 92 extends from wire 9| to the synchronous motor I. Wire 93 connected into wire 90 also connects to the synchronous motor, a manually operated switch 94 being interposed in the Wire 93. Connected to wire 93, at a point between the switch 94 and the motor I are wires 95 and 96, that shown at 95 being connected to the fixed contact finger I8, while that shown at 9B is connected to the movable contact finger 29. One end of the winding of a relay 91 is connected to power line wire 9|. the other end of the relay coil being connected to the contact finger I9. When the relay 19 is energized by closure of the switch 95 and by bridging of thecontact fingers I8 and 19 by one of the contact members IE, it closes crcuit between wires 98 and 99 one of which connects with wire I00 and the other to wire I00a. Wires I00 and I000. together constitute a lead from an electrically operated water heating device which will, by closure of circuit between wires I00 and "Ma by relay energization be caused to operate and will continue to do so as long as the manually operated switch 94 remains closed and the contact fingers" and I9 are bridged by one or the other of the contact members I6.

The fixed contact finger 86 is electrically connect d to one end of the winding of a relay IN, the other end of the winding being connected by wire I02 to the power line wire 9I. ararrgement it will be clear that when switch 94 is closed and the pivoted finger 29 and fixed contact finger 86 are bridged by one of the contact members 25 the relay coil or winding IOI will be energized and it w ll close circuit between wires I04 and I05. Wire I04 is connected to wi e I01a, while wire I05 is connected to wire I01, the wires I01 and IIIIa constituting a lead frrm the circuit of the oil burner, electric stoker or the like. A manualy-operated switch I06 is interposed in the wire I08 while a similar manuallv-cperatcd switch I03 is interposed in the wire 88. In the normal operation of the device. these switches remain in open condition and are frr use only when it is desired to-disconnect the.

control mechanism for either the heating plant, the watn' heating means or both, and thereby permt the heating devices to function without the use of the timing means.

In Fig. 4, the contacts carried by the drum I2, 7.; are arranged for the normal heating and hot From this water supply control for an average building.

At the top of the figure, beginning with 12:30 at night, and extending down to 4:30 a. m. a number of relatively narrow contacts 25a are mounted in the slots 24 of the drum. Sincelittle or no heat is needed during these night hours, unless very low outside temperature prevails, the movable contact finger I! will be generally disposed to the left and situated beyond theinner ends of the contacts 25a so that circuit between the movable contact finger 20 and fixed contact finger I will remain open during this period. Beginning at 4:30 a. m. the contacts gradually taper or as indicated at 25b, 25c, and 25d, so that one of these contact plates will come beneath the contact finger II and circuit will be closed between contact fingers 29 and it, thus energizing the relay coil III which will at once drum is rotated and by energizing the relay coil hours, the contact plates may be shifted to the inner ends of the slots 1! representing such hours, so that the heating of the water will be discontinued during that period. During the daytime, the contact plates in slots representing daylight and evening hours may be disposed toward the outer or open ends of the slots so that they bridge the contact fingers I8 and 19 as the 91 circuit between wires and 99 will be closed and the water heater maintained in operation.

close circuit between wires Ill and III holding it closed and starting the burner in operation. Manually operated switches ill and Ill are kept in open position and should remain so as long as the control apparatus is electrically maintained in circuit with the heating plant. As the rotation of the drum I! continues, the ccntactmembers Ne are next brought beneath the contact finger 20 and since these contact members Iie are full width, they together constitute an hours operating time for the burner. With this arrangement, the hour's operation will occur between 6 and 7 a. m. and this constitutes a morning "pick-up" for the heating plant, such period of time being usually sufiiclent to initially heat up the building. Thereafter, the tapered contact members 25 occur in sequence until :00 p. m. when the narrower contacts 25a again appear.

With the arrangement of contacts disclosed,

and which is merely a suggested arrangement found adaptable forsome heating purposes, and particularly for apartment buildings and the like, it will be seen that a definite, well-planned heating schedule results. Beginning in the early morning the heating plant will start with a selected continuous heating period, as for example, the one hour period attained by theus of the two contacts Ile. Thereafter, the tapered contact members 28 will produce interrupted operating periods according to the position of the movable contact finger 29 in relation to the tapered contact surfaces It, the position of said finger being-determined by thermostatic control exerted by elements ll, 40 and 4! as previously explained. At 10:00 p. m. or at such other selected night hour the narrower contacts 25a again are brought adjacent the contact finger 20, and unless unusual cold weather is existent. the contact finger I. will be located to the left of these contacts a and the burner will not opcrate during the night hours. If however, real cold weather is prevailing, the finger 29 will be disposed sufiiciently to the right to rest upon contacts Ila and the burner will operate until the temperature rises sumciently to shift it to the left and oil the contact plates a.

As heretofore stated. the arrangement of contacts disclosed is purely illustrative for since the contact plates are removable and interchangeable, they may be shifted about to suit specific requirements for individual heating plants.

The contact plates ll disposed in the slots 15 at the opposite edge of the drum are primarily The contact members 18 may be placed in such slots as is desired and may be omitted from other slots so that interrupted operation of the water heater will be had to provide sufiicient hot water at a minimum of heating expense.

Should it be desired to operate the device with only the room-heating control in use, it is merely necessary to manually close the switch I03. This closes circuit between wires I00 and 400a and subsequent operation of relay 9'! has no effect on the water-heating circuit of which wires ill and "Ilia form a part. Also, if it should be desired to render the heating control inoperative, switch J06 is manually closed. This closes circuit between wires ill and Illla and renders subsequent operation of the relay i0! ineffective on the oil burner or electric stoker circuit. Of course, the entire control device may be rendered inoperative by opening switch DI and closing switches I03 and Ill. When this is done, the entire device is completely out of the heating and hot water circuits. While I have shown and described one embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto since many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, while I have shown a temperature-controlled means for shifting the position of the contact finger 29, such means consisting of elements 40, 40 and 49 may be readily detached and the finger 20 may be shifted manually to any selected position across the length of the contact members. The arrangement of the contact members; the positions of the slots in which the same are located, the calibrations appearing on the drum, the shape and disposition of the drum; the manner in which it is mounted on, adjusted and driven by the shaft from the synchronous motor, are all elements capable of alteration and modification to suit various requirements. I therefore do not limit the invention to the specific disclosure but consider the same as comprehending all structures coming within the scopeof the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a rotating drum and means for rotating the same at a predetermined speed, said drum having a circumferential rim, the rim having a plurality of spaced slots extending inwardly from one of its edges, any of said slots being adapted to receive a metal contact member, said contact member having a face portion resting fiatwiseiy against and conforming to the surface curvature ery of the drum and riding over the face portions 5. In a device of the character described. a

of the contact members disposed thereon.

2.'In a device of the character described, a rotating drum and means for rotating the same at a predetermined speed, said drum having a group of spaced slots extending inwardly from each of its opposite edges, each group of slots adapted to removably receive metal contacts, a contact finger riding against the face of the drum and over the contacts in one group of slots, a

' pair of spaced contact fingers riding against the drum adjacent the contacts in the second group, the latter contacts being adapted to bridge the spaced contact fingers and close an electric circuit between the same upon rotation of the drum.

3. In a devic of the character described, a

drum rotated at a predetermined speed, the

drum being provided with a plurality of spaced slots opening at one edge of the drum and extending inwardl from the edge of the drum, spring contact plates fitted in said slots and having face portions overlying parts of the periphery of the drum, said face portions tapering from th edge of the drum to the inner ends of the slots, and a contact finger urged against the periphery of the drum and into contact with the face portions of the plates when the drum is rotated.

4. In a device of the character described,.a rotated drum bearing horological calibrations, means for rotating said drum at a predetermined speed, spaced slots in the periphery of the drum, a contact plate resiliently held in each slot, each contact plate having a bent face portion overlying the face of the drum, said face portion being tapered and havinga part extending from one slot to the next, and a pair of wiping contacts bearing against the drum and drum having a plurality of spaced contacts arranged along one of its edges, the drum having slotsin which said contacts are held, said contacts being adapted to be positioned either near the inner closed ends of the slots or adjacent to the open outer ends thereof, and a pair of spaced nngers against which the contacts wipe and bridge when the contacts are in one of the two positions in the slots.

6. In a device of the character described, a rotating member having a plurality of spaced slots extending inwardly from one of its edges, a contact adapted to flt into any one of said slots, said contact having a substantially flat face portion extending over and conforming to a portion of .the face of the rotating member, said contact being provided with spring-actuated jaws adapted to engagethe walls of the slot in which it is placed to permit lateral adjustment of the contact in the slot and prevent unintentianal displacement of the same out. of said slot.

7. In 'a device of the character described, a rotating member having a plurality of spaced .slots extending inwardly from one of its edges, a contact adapted to fit into any one of said slots, the contact. having a substantially flat face portion extending over and conforming to a portion of the face of the rotating member.

said contact being provided with a pair of hingedly connected jaws adapted to resiliently engage the walls of the slot in which (the contact is placed, the hinge portion for said jaws being enlarged to a size greater than the width of the slot, whereby the body of the rotating member is disposed between the flat face portion and the enlarged hinge portion and the contact is prevented from displacement out of the slot.

ARTHUR CAHN. 

